How to Quickly Shop at IKEA
The first time I went to IKEA I went with my sister and I'm pretty sure we both broke out in hives, sweated profusely, and nearly had panic attacks. We made the mistake of going to the new (at the time) IKEA in southwest Ohio, on a weekend, in the middle of the day. To say it was overwhelming is a gross understatement.
This was about ten years ago (oh my gosh, I just did that math and nearly fainted. I feel like if I say ten years ago I should be talking about awkward middle school stages or Lisa Frank, not going to a home accessory store. When did I get this old?!). I digress. Since this original trip, I have been to IKEA numerous times and dare I say it, nearly mastered the quick, stress-free IKEA shopping experience.
Yes, there are ways to navigate through the maze of IKEA quickly. And it is even possible that your stress level might remain relatively low during this experience. Following these simple steps—as well as knowing about one of the biggest kept secrets in all IKEA stores—will get you in and out in about as much time as it takes to say "wtf" to any IKEA assembly instructions.
Start Online
IKEA is not the kind of store you just go strolling through. Or at least it isn't for me. I get lost. I get stressed. I get panicked. And then I end up spending $25 on a 5 storage bins I don't even need but I walked right into them and they were only $5 and who doesn't need an extra storage bin (this girl doesn't, that's who).
I have to go to IKEA with intention.
I create a shopping list online before heading out, then send it to myself and adhere to it strictly when I'm in the store.
Items for the newly painted office, I cannot wait to share how it turns out with you!
This also saves time on measurement questions. My least favorite thing is getting really excited about a product, purchasing it, gleefully bringing it home just to discover that it doesn't fit the space it's intended for. Measure before while you're home and avoid this disappointment altogether.
Go During Low Traffic Times
Weekday mornings are an ideal time to go to IKEA, however I understand that not everyone is able to go at this time. If weekdays don't work for you, go early on a weekend and try to avoid weeks leading up to college move-in days. IKEA is a great spot to hit up for college necessities and just about every college student is aware of this so the place is packed in late summer.
My own personal nightmare
THE BIG SECRET: Skip the Showroom
Yes, you can actually skip this part completely. The showroom is nice and pretty and always well designed, but I don't need to spend 20 minutes circling around bedrooms that are 8 ft x 8 ft with lofted beds and dressers that double as kitchen tables.
If you know exactly what you want and aren't looking for any additional inspiration, you can skip the showroom by going into the scary, unmarked doors typically found just behind the escalator (in the three different IKEA stores I've gone to the doors were located in this space). They are not easy to see when you first walk in.
They are completely unmarked and look quite sketchy, but the doors open up to the beginning of the Marketplace so you can start loading your cart/bag/trolly right away.
Apologies for all the pictures of LBJ. I didn’t want to be the creepy woman who is just taking random pictures of doors. So instead I’m the weirdo mom who is documenting her son at IKEA. Lesser of two evils, imho.
This little trick immediately knocks off at least 15 minutes of walking, plus another 10 minutes of paused distraction, and an undocumented amount of time spent contemplating if I need to bulldoze our kitchen and get an IKEA kitchen instead.
Take Shortcuts
This one isn't so secret but it's still not shown super clearly. If you grab one of the maps on your way in you can see where everything is that you need to locate. Then, for example, if you only need to get items in the Home Organization and Wall Decoration sections, you can take two little shortcuts and skip over at least 6 other areas!
Look closely, they’re marked on the map with teeny tiny dotted lines
You can also use the shortcuts if you know you don't want anything in the Marketplace area and need to go directly to the Self-Serve section. If you know you only need furniture or larger items from the Self-Serve area, simply cut through the Marketplace using shortcuts, locate the aisle and bin (this information is available online so you can have it on hand when you go to the store), and purchase.
The IKEA website will also tell you what the product availability is in your store, which is super helpful if you have to travel far to get to IKEA. It can help avoid a wasted trip.
Bring Your Own Bag
We have one or two old IKEA bags we purchased who knows how many years ago. Whenever I go back, I always make sure to either bring those bags, or some other bag that I can pack my items into. You can fill a yellow IKEA bag in the store but they will not allow you to bring it through checkout. This can be really frustrating if you're purchasing a bunch of smaller items like frames and bins that are difficult to carry.
You can use a cart for larger items, and they also have carts for the yellow bags. What I've started doing is once I go in, switch out the yellow bag with my blue IKEA bag, fill it with my goodies, and easily stroll through checkout and to my car.
So, who is ready for a trip to IKEA?? Full disclosure, despite my ability to quickly shop through IKEA, with a toddler, while 8+ months pregnant, without issue and with minimal stress, any time I mention the four letter word to Brit, he responds with his own four letter word...
To each their own.
Thanks for visiting!
